Middle East

Israel prevents UK foreign secretary from visiting Palestinian village terrorised by settlers

Israeli authorities have blocked British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly from visiting a Palestinian village that was recently emptied of its residents after years of Israeli settler violence, Middle East Eye has reported.

Egypt Elections: Sisi to run for third term, opposition decry pressure

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi confirmed that he will stand for a third term in office at an election scheduled for December.

Iran’s Leader: Normalization with Israel is ‘betting on wrong horse’

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei lashed out at the countries seeking to normalize ties with the Israeli regime, warning they are betting on the losing side.

Fire engulfs police facility in Egypt, dozens injured

A huge fire erupted at a police facility in the Egyptian Suez Canal city of Ismailia early on Monday, injuring at least 38 people before firefighters contained the blaze after several hours, according to emergency services and media.

Erdogan: Turkey expects nothing from EU

Ankara no longer expects anything from Brussels, having waited for decades to become an EU member, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated.

New US Senate Foreign Relations chair to block Egypt military aid over rights record

The United States Foreign Relations Committee chairman has said he will block some US military aid to Egypt until it takes "concrete, meaningful and sustainable steps" to improve human rights.

Egyptian woman murdered on campus in third “femicide case” in a week

An employee of Cairo University was killed on campus, in the “third incident of femicide in Egypt in two days.” Almost eight million Egyptian women were victims of violence committed by their partners or relatives or by strangers in public spaces, according to reports.

Rights group sues US gov’t in order to block Israel’s entry to visa waiver programme

A leading Arab American rights group sued the US government and called on a federal court to halt any further actions admitting Israel into the visa waiver programme (VWP). It stressed that Tel Aviv is not eligible for entry because it is discriminating against Palestinian Americans.

Egypt elections: Dozens of campaign volunteers of Sisi rival captured

Egyptian security forces have detained at least 73 members of the election campaign of opposition politician and former MP Ahmed Tantawi, a local rights group has reported.

Over half of American oppose defence pact with Saudi Arabia: Poll

More than half of American voters oppose a defence pact with Saudi Arabia that would commit Washington to send forces to defend the kingdom in the event it is attacked, a survey shows.

Egypt: Presidential election to be held in December

Egypt is set to hold a presidential vote in December, the elections body has announced. Incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is widely expected to win despite the dire economic situation facing the country.

US failed to provide redress or compensation to tortured victims of its Iraq prisons: HRW

Two decades on, Washington has failed to provide redress or compensation to Iraqi victims of its military’s torture and abuse at Abu Ghraib and other prisons, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported.

Saudi Arabia won’t be tempted to seek nuclear bombs since Iran does not have them: Russia

No one wants more nuclear powers to emerge in the world and Moscow believes that since Tehran will not have nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia won’t be tempted to obtain them, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Iraq says has implemented all clauses of security agreement with Iran

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed that Baghdad has implemented all clauses of a security deal with Tehran that entails the complete disarmament and re-location of anti-Iran terrorist groups operating in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq.

Iran says ready for partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia

Iran’s foreign minister, in a meeting with his Saudi counterpart, said Tehran is ready to sign a comprehensive partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia.

Iraq says PM planning to visit Moscow within weeks

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani is planning to visit Moscow in the next few weeks, the foreign ministry announced on Saturday.

US senator Robert Menendez indicted on Egypt corruption charges, says he will not resign

US Senator Robert Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, were indicted on charges of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars, gold bars, a luxury car, and other bribes in exchange for corrupt acts that benefited the government of Egypt.

Iran president Raisi says establishment of ties with Egypt possible

Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi has suggested that the establishment of ties between Tehran and Cairo is possible.

Syria president arrives in China for first visit in almost 20 years

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has arrived in the east Chinese city of Hangzhou, kicking off his first visit to the Asian country since 2004 as he makes further strides to end over a decade of diplomatic isolation amid Western sanctions.

Shots fired outside US Embassy in Lebanon, no Injuries reported

Shots were fired near the US diplomatic mission in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, late on Wednesday but no injuries were reported, embassy spokesperson Jake Nelson has confirmed.

US, Saudi Arabia discuss security pact: Report

The US and Saudi Arabian officials are reportedly discussing the terms of a security pact resembling those with Washington’s East Asian allies, in what is viewed as an incentive for the kingdom to normalize relations with Israel.

Qatar Emir calls for end of ‘injustice’

During his remarks at the United Nations General Assembly session, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani urged an end to injustice, particularly for the Palestinian people.

Colombia slams world powers for backing Ukraine, but not Palestinians

Colombian President Gustavo Petro Urrego devotes a chunk of his speech at the United Nations General Assembly to slamming what he says is the world powers’ hypocrisy in defending Ukraine but not the Palestinians.

Iraq says Kurdish armed groups handed over heavy weapons, will be relocated to camps

Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has stated that Kurdish armed groups along the border with Iran have handed over their heavy weaponry as the deadline for their disarmament and relocation approaches based on a security pact between Tehran and Baghdad.

Netanyahu says will discuss Iran with Biden during US trip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he plans to discuss the issue of Iran during his meeting with US President Joe Biden in the upcoming days. He made the remarks before departing for the United States, according to the government press office.

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